Gabriel Fauré and Marguerite Hasselmans

5. Gabriel Fauré and Marguerite Hasselmans

Although married, Fauré turned to significantly younger women for company. In August 1900 he met Marguerite. He was 55, the same age as her father. She became his mistress for the remaining 24 years of his life. She read Russian, enjoyed philosophical conversations , was bold enough to smoke in public and wear makeup, and was a musician. They were seldom apart.